Dissection Frontman's Cause of Death Revealed: Self-Inflicted Gunshot Shot To The Head

Swedish heavy metal musician Jon Nödtveidt, 31, was found dead on Wednesday, August 16 at his apartment in Hässelby, a suburb of Stockholm. He shot himself in the head and was surrounded by lit candles, Expressen reports. Shortly before the ritual suicide, he had sent farewell letters to his father and his girlfriend and explained to a friend, "I'm going away for a long, long time. I'm going to Transylvania."

Sometime between Monday (Aug. 14) and Wednesday, Nödveidt, vocalist and guitarist in the popular Swedish black metal band DISSECTION, chose to take his own life.

At 7:21 p.m. CET on Wednesday, a police patrol reported to the police communication center in Stockholm that a man had been found dead, the apparent victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. According to several of Expressen's sources, the singer had placed an open copy of "The Satanic Bible" in front of him before pulling the trigger.

"He shot himself in the head and lay dead in a ring of lit candles," says a police source.

At 5:44 p.m. on Wednesday, the police received a 911 call from Jon Nödtveidt's family who hadn't been able to establish contact with him for a couple of days.

"They were very concerned," says his legal representative and manager, Per Nordqvist. "His girlfriend and his family called after their fears that something terrible had happened had been bolstered."

The reason for their concern was a farewell letter that Jon Nödveidt had sent to his girlfriend in Germany. His father, Anders Nödtveidt, had also received a postcard asking him to contact a number of people and thank them for everything.

"What it said is personal. I want to keep it to myself," Jon's father says of the postcard's contents.

"I met him in Stockholm just a week and a half ago. Everything seemed great then. I've always had good contact with Jon during his upbringing and throughout his adult life. I don't understand what has happened to make things turn out this way. This weighs even more heavily on us considering everything that has happened. This is very difficult for the entire family."

Jon Nödveidt's father likes the photo in which his son wears a black leather jacket and has asked for that picture to be published.

"It's a good photo. Jon thought so as well," says Anders Nödtveidt.

The suicide is believed to have been planned for a long time.

"At the scene there was also a will and a suicide note," a police source tells Expressen.

In December 1997, Jon Nödveidt was arrested for the murder of Josef Ben Meddaour and served seven years for accessory to murder and possession of an illegal firearm. The highly publicized murder in Gothenburg is depicted in the movie "Keillers Park". What has come to be known as "the Satanic murder" in Sweden has led to both a movie and a book.

"Keillers Park", which is named after the park in Gothenburg where the murder took place, opened in theaters in Sweden in March 2006.

"Josef Ben Meddaour was a naive and open person with a big heart," says Edwards. "He was a victim of a grotesque act of homophobia."

The murder was also the basis for last year's "No Tears For Queers", a book about hate crimes by Swedish journalist and author Johan Hilton.

In 1997, at the time of the murder, Jon Nödtveidt explained that he lived in a world where Satan was God and that they drank blood and sacrificed animals. On DISSECTION's web site he revealed that he was a member of MLO — Misanthropic Luciferian Order.

On September 22, 2004, two weeks after his release from prison, Jon Nödveidt talked to Expressen about the murder and his time in prison.

"I want to put the murder behind me and move forward," he told the newspaper. "It feels like I'm a new person after my time in prison. The time before the incarceration feels like another life. I've been through so much since. I've become more mature, older and look at life and death in a totally new way."

When asked about the crimes he was convicted of, Nödtveidt said, "No matter how you twist and turn it, it can't be undone. What happened happened and I must move forward with my life. I have taken responsibility for my actions by having served my time in prison. I'm not proud of the fact that I have to watch my mother cry, but I'm working with new strength and look ahead."

When asked if he regrets what happened, Nödtveidt said, "Out of respect to the victim's family, I don't want to discuss what happened. The only thing I want to say is that I'm not proud of it."

Josef Ben Meddaour was a 37-year-old Algerian homosexual man who was killed by a shotgun blast to the head and the back.

"I'm absolutely not a racist," Jon Nödtveidt told the newspaper. "There's nothing that makes me more sad and upset than people who say things like that. These are people who know nothing about me. Everyone who knows me knows that I have friends, brothers and sisters from all over the world."

"Jon was an open person who enjoyed life," explains his manager, Per Nordqvist, to Expressen. "He was easy to get along with and very accomodating. Still, what happened happened and that is something you always carry with you one way or another. All people have baggage."

Per Nordqvist tells Aftonbladet that the suicide of his friend has left him feeling totally empty and that it's terribly saddening.

"I've spent the last few years collecting the rights to his music," Nordqvist tells Aftonbladet. "Jon felt that he was losing everything during the time he was incarcerated."

Johan Hargeby at the Swedish distribution company Sound Pollution worked closely with Jon Nödveidt for 15 years.

"I met him as late as Monday (Aug. 14) when he was here for a short meeting," Hargeby tells Expressen. "I am shocked and dismayed."

LOL! f*** this mother f***er! "He opened the satanic bible before he did it"I have never been happier knowing that another devil worshipping piece of c*** sucking sh** has been wiped off the face of the earth!

I hope they all just keep popping them selves in the head one by one, keep up the good work you dumb bastards!

I wonder which one has f***ed more gay men in their life? godlike or korndogg??? That is probably why they are so happy about this death. One of their gay brothers was killed and now they are esctatic that his killer is dead.

No you f***, i hate fa**ots!Does that mean they deserve to die? No it doesnt you piece of sh**!So shut up unless you can come up with something smart to say instead of " i wonder whos f***ed more men" your a f***en joke!

I think any regulars to this site would agree with me that Korndogg is the biggest turd around. Your posts couldn't possibly be more annoying. Goodbye d***licker. Arguing with people on the internet is for teenage nerds who listen to Korn.

Please, I don't mean to offend anyone. yes, jon was definately a bad seed. but he also brought a great deal of joy to thosands through his art. As much as I hated him for f***ing up like he did, nobody in their right mind should desecrate another human beings grave with hatred. Words of hate can't help anybody, it's both pointless and reflects poorly on one's character. again I agree with both sides of the argument to a certain extent, but please do it for Jon's family and frineds who deserve better.

hey kramerdominates....do you play a Kramer or are you a fan of Sienfeld..? If its the guitar thing...your right...they rule....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I own a couple....been playing 'em since the 80s

I only have been playing for a little over 6 years but my pops has played since the 70's (he's more of a vintage 60's type guy) so naturally I picked it up pretty fast. I play a lot of flamenco and progressive metal (no cheesy sh**).

people confuse neoclassical bands (though I actually enjoy the genre) like symphon x and Demons & Wizards as being progressive metal all the time. The prog metal that I play is more along the lines of ealry King Crimson style of music wrting but in the genre of metal. I listen to quite a few progressiive rock bands that I draw influnece from and with the material I get from doing that I naturally make it have heavier parts to bring another dimension to my prog rock.

You guys are all stupid. A man is dead and you guys are turning this place into a circle jerk put the p***ses away and mourn for him if you appreciatted the works he produced for us the Black Metal fans...And may God have mercy on the souls who condemn this man without knowing a damn thing about...well everything.

screw that. your looking up to a crazy person. 1.) he's a murderer 2.) he's a Satanist freak who drinks blood and kills animals 3.) he's a f uckin p*ssy who couldnt handle the pressures of life so he took the easy way out. f uck that, i have no simpathy for anyone who kills themselves, thats something p*ssys do. life's too hard? SUCK IT UP AND ACT LIKE A MAN. i can understand having respect for his work as a musican, but as a person, the guy was a f uckin weakling..... RIP Jon - i'm sure ur burning in hell, which is where he wanted to go anyways.

to post 11 KORNDOGG is alright when hes not postin useless spam, f***Satanists im not a satanist (im actually a christian) and i look up to Jon as a musician and do u really have any proof that he drinks blood and kills animals? there r other types of people that kill animals they r called hunters, he also could handle the pressures of life hes been planin his suicide for years so if he couldnt take it then he'd have done years ago, know wat ur talkin about before u say anythin at all next time

i've actually read an interview with Jon where he did admit to drinking blood for religious purposes as well as killing small animals in a ritual type manner. I dont just say things without knowing what the hell it is im saying. I actually liked some of his music, i listen to all types of metal. but i still have no sympathy for someone who gives up on life. i had a cousin who killed himself, any yeah i miss the guy, but i still have no respect for what he did.

i think dat man was in a connection wid sm kinds of demons n spirits who betrayed him or he couldnt tolerate living with them so he choosed to cut da crap n kill him self who agrees its just an estimation

What a f ucking moron. Yes I'm a huge fan of the first 2 albums, but this just goes to show you what religion does to you. I laugh in the face of all these Satanists. It is comical how they bash Christianity (which is not necessarily a bad thing) but at the same time they themselves are no different. They are still part of some organized belief system, though they talk about liberation and freedom from "god", they are bound to rules and codes of belief.I would have thought Jon was smarter than he turned out. What a disgrace.

"There is something feeble and a little contemptible about a man who cannot face the perils of life without the help of comfortable myths. Almost inevitably some part of him is aware that they are myths and that he believes them only because they are comforting. But he dares not face this thought! Moreover, since he is aware, however dimly, that his opinions are not rational, he becomes furious when they are disputed." --Bertrand Russell

A lot of guys seem glad that he's dead because of his beliefs and that whole murder thing. Now that ain't too cool.Dissection ruled, so did Jon Nödtveidt for the music. If you think otherwise then why are you even reading this? I'd normally RIP Jon out of respect for the mans lifestyle i won't.

Through the chaos of violence to an eternal winter, what is dead is dead... Dissection would not have been as they were had he not been in that band, I salute jon and The Black and Dissection and give him \darkest respect/ "...what is dead is dead..." - Merrimack 2006"Jesus spoke true words of wisdom,"let the children come to me..."" - Deathspell Omega 2004"Darkness is as darkness does" - James Brown (Beat the Devil)"It's not that I don't care,I just don;t care if others care" - me yesterday

From my Tower I behold the landscape belowI see the river of blood in fury flowI stare into the night, yet my visions clearFrom the distant villages every word i hear

[Chorus:]I am the almighty, the one with wisdom wideI am the great shadow and from daylight in my tower i hideI have seen the abyss and all that lies withinI am the great shadow and i was born in sin

Thy shadow swept by like an angel fading to greyThy eyes were like weakening candles leaving the flames to dieThy pale cold face, once so full of lifeNow its torn as of thorns of iceThy towers fell to the ground

[Chorus:]I am the almighty, the one with wisdom wideI am the great shadow and from daylight in my tower i hideI have seen the abyss and all that lies withinI am the great shadow and i was born in sin

Yes this is the land, the land of the black horizonWhere the shores are covered with the bodiesof thy followersTriumphal vengeance, Dethroning the shape of thouFade I say, wither away

[Chorus:]I am the almighty, the one with wisdom wideI am the great shadow, no daylight over my kingdom rideAt the black horizons, my eyes and souls the windI am the great shadow and i was born in sin

I am the almighty, the one with wisdom wideI am the great shadow, no daylight over my kingdom rideAt the black horizons, my eyes and souls the windBEHOLD THE LAND OF SIN!

Am I the only one that thinks it's pretty funny that this is classed as seperate news? It's like, "Hey guys it took us a week or so, but judging from that massive hole in his head, we think he may have shot himself!"

wow, what an amazing amount ov total time wasters here!! KORNDOGG u are quite obviosly NOT a metal fan so y not scamper back 2 kindy u annoying turd. same goes for GODLIKE. if you accually LISTEN to dissection and understand what they were about maybe youd change your tune. fine if you wana slag off jon but ya gotta realise sh** HAPPENS! and noones perfect! eternal hails jon. r.i.p dissection